Contents

General characteristics

Theft violates the 8th commandment of Decalogue[1], and breaks the commandment of loving the neighbour.[2]Like other sins, theft defiles a person, because it comes out of the heart[3] and the sinner will not inherit the kingdom of God[4] if he doesn’t repent of his sins, like Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector.[5]

Punishment

The law obliged the thief to pay double (in case of finding the stolen thing-[6]), four or five times (if it is an ox or a sheep, cut or sold-[7]) or seven times (if the thief steals because he is hungry) -[8]).If the thief wasn’t able to pay compensation for his theft by selling his things, he was sold as a slave.[9] If the thief confessed his sin, he was allowed to return the object, adding a fifth of its price and he brought to the priest as his compensation to the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering; and the priest made atonement for him before the Lord, and he was forgiven. If a thief was caught breaking in and was struck so that he died, the defender was not guilty of bloodshed;
but if it happened after sunrise, he was guilty of bloodshed.[10]Death was the penalty for stealing a man.[11]

Causes

Poverty and greed are among the reasons for theft.[12] Besides this, stolen things are sweet and the bread (food) eaten in secret is pleasant.[13] The partner of a thief hates his own life;
he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.[14] Sometimes rulers are thieves or accomplices of thieves.[15]

Types of thieves

The thief acts unexpectedly and he usualy lies in ambush , especially at night and in secluded places[16]Zacchaeus brought salvation upon his house because he was decided to restore fourfold to those whom he had defrauded.[17] The hypocritical thief is personified by Judas, who took secretly his part from the money Jesus and the apostles raised for helping the poor; he disliked Mary ointed Jesus with pure nard, pretending hypocritically it would have been useful if the nard would have been sold and the money given to the poor.[18] There were some Pharisees like Judas: they stole, although preaching not to steal.[19]

Advises

Thieves are advised to stop stealing, and to work something with their hands, to have what to share with those in need[20]. And those likely to be stolen are urged to stock treasures in heaven, because there they cannot be ruined or stolen.[21]

Spiritual thievery

There is a spiritual thievery (stealth), of those who steal minds and souls with misleading teachings.[22]. Because the minds and the souls belongs to God who created them.[23]